Magnetically indexed spinner



Jan. 27, 1970 F. T. COFFEY, sR

I MAGNETICALLY INDEXED SPINNER Filed Dec.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I /V VE N TOR Hana/s TIE/fey $11 3? 6 2 Jan. 27, 1970 F. T. COFFEY, SR

MAGNETICALLY INDEXED SPINNER 2 SheetS S heet 2 Filed Dec. 11, 1967 United States Patent 3,492,001 MAGNETICALLY INDEXED SPINNER Francis T. Coffey, Sr., 430 S. Fremont Ave., Alhambra, Calif. 91801 Substituted for abandoned application Ser. No. 375,479, June 16, 1964. This application Dec. 11, 1967, Ser. No.

Int. Cl. A63f 3/00 U.S. Cl. 273-141 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A manually operated spinner body is mounted on a vertical pivot pin projecting upwardly from a fiat, horizontal board. The underside of the spinner body carries an annular pattern of spaced ferrous masses. A magnet carried by the board has its magnetic field intersecting the path through which the ferrous masses travel when the body is rotated. When the body comes to rest, a pointer on the body points to one of the zones on the board arranged in an annular pattern, circumferentially spaced, about the pin. Various circumferential and radial placement of the ferrous masses together with arrangements of the magnet poles effect the Odds where the pointer will stop. A retaining clip in the spinner body bearing cone fits into a groove in the vertical pivot pin to prevent displacement of the spinner from the pin.

This invention has to do with games and is more particularly concerned with an improved game board having a novel spinner related thereto.

There are many games which are played on boards having courses, and the like, marked thereupon and which the players must follow by means of suitable chips, or the like, and wherein dice or spinners are employed to designate the position or indicate the number of moves the players of the game are to take each time it is their turn to play.

In those games where dice are used, the players must add the marks or dots on the top surface of the dice, when the dice come to rest, which is difficult for children and some adults. Further, the dice are loose parts which must be cast or thrown, and as a result they are often lost or displaced, adding to the inconvenience. Still further, dice are inherently limited to the digits applied thereto and the chances or odds that particular digits will appear or be indicated is substantially standard or fixed.

Accordingly, in a game such as a simulated baseball game Where the odds or chances of making certain moves or plays is not compatible with the pattern of odds inherent with dice, dice cannot be used satisfactorily.

The ordinary spinner employed in game boards in place of dice consists of a plate or board with a vertical axle or hearing pin projecting upwardly therefrom, an annular series of markings indicating digits and zones about the axle or pin, and an arrow-like pointer rotatably carried by or supported'on the pin. The pointer is adapted to be manually spun or rotated and is allowed to come to rest. The zone and/or digits at or to which the pointer points indicates the position or moves to be made by the players of the game.

Such spinners are extremely undesirable and all too frequently create difliculties between the players of a game due to the fact that the pointer frequently stops or comes to rest between adjacent zones and/or digits. At such times dissension between the players develops, which dissension spoils the game.

With the ordinary spinner, the odds can be controlled to a limited extent, but not sufliciently to correspond with the odds that certain plays will occur in certain sporting events, such as baseball.

Patented Jan. 27, 1970 An object of this invention is to provide a novel spinner construction for games which is such that a pointer thereon will always stop at one of a plurality of predetermined stations spaced circumferentially about the rotative axis of the spinner.

Another object of this invention is to provide a spinner of the character referred to including a board, a substantially disc-shaped spinner with a circumferentially spaced annular pattern of ferrous masses, means rotatably supporting the disc on a fixed axis above the board and a magnet fixed to the board adjacent the pattern of ferrous masses and adapted to stop and hold one of said masses and to stop and hold the spinner in one of a plurality of predetermined rotative positions when the spinner, after being manually spun, comes to rest.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a spinner of the character referred to wherein the magnet has spaced poles and is arranged so that one of its poles is positioned to act upon the ferrous masses on the spinner.

Another object of this invention is to provide a spinner of the character referred to wherein the magnet has spaced poles and is arranged so that its poles occur in circumferential spaced relationship below the pattern of ferrous masses on the spinner, whereby the magnet will stop and hold one of said masses at one or the other of its poles, whereby the number of stopping positions is two times the number of ferrous masses.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a spinner of the character referred to wherein the poles of the fixed magnet are spaced circumferentially and radially relative to the pattern of ferrous masses, whereby the effective magnetic attraction between the said masses and the poles can be varied to alter the odds or chances of one of the masses coming to rest and stopping on one or the other of the poles.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a spinner of the character referred to wherein the radial placement and the circumferential placement of the annular pattern of ferrous masses is varied relative to the magnet whereby the odds or chances that certain masses will be held and stopped by the magnet is greater than the others.

An object of the present invention is to provide a spin nor of the character referred to wherein the spaced ferrous masses related to the magnet are established or defined by radially outwardly extending projections on a common central disc-like body, or by radially inwardly extending projections on a common annular ring-like body carried by a non-ferrous spinner body.

Another object of my invention is to provide a spinner of the general character referred to wherein the spinner has a plurality of points each assignable to one of a plurality 'of players and related to a common annular pattern or rule of digits and zones, whereby games wherein all players move or participate each time the spinner is operated can be advantageously devised.

The various objects and features of my invention will be fully understood from the following detailed description of typical preferred forms and embodiments of my invention, throughout which description reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a new game embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged detailed sectional view taken substantially as indicated by line 2--2 on FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken as indicated by line 33 on FIG. 2; and

Each of FIGS. 4 through 7 are views similar to FIG. 3, showing other forms of the present invention.

The game illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawings includes a flat, horizontally disposed, substantially square playing board B, established of pulp board, or the like, and having a flat top surface with a simulated base-ball diamond and field 11 printed or otherwise applied thereto. The game further includes a plurality of individually identifiable men or pieces 12- representing the several players of a baseball game and engageable on the board, and a spinner S adapted to be intermittently operated by the persons playing the game and to indicate the move or moves to be made by one or more of the pieces, each time the spinner is operated.

The spinner S includes an elongate vertically disposed pivot pin 20 having a longitudinally outwardly convergent upper end, defining a bearing or point 21 and a lower or base end portion 22 adapted to engage in or with the board B or a similar board-like supporting structure.

In the case illustrated, the board B is provided with a ferrule or grommet-like metal bushing 23- in which the lower end portion 22 of the pin 20 is slidably engaged. The pin 20 is provided with a radially outwardly projecting stop flange 24, which flange engages the upper end of the bushing and/or the top surface 10 of the board to limit engagement of the pin in the board or bushing and to stabilize the pin.

The spinner also includes a substantially fiat horizontally disposed disc-shaped body 30 with a central, upwardly projecting and downwardly opening bearing cone 31 adapted to cooperatively receive the upper end portion of the pin and a depending annular fiange or skirt 32 about its outer perimeter. The body 30 is established of a nonferrous material, such as plastic, which can be advantageously mass-produced.

In practice and as illustrated in FIG. 2 of the drawings, a U-shaped metal bearing clip 25 is urged into tight engagement in the bearing cone 31. The base portion of the clip is provided with a downwardly opening detent 26 to provide a seat for the bearing 21. The legs of the clip, depending from the base portion thereof, having laterally inwardly projecting retaining flanges 27, which flanges engage in an annular groove 28 in the upper end portion of the pin. The clip 25 thereby provides a suitable bearing for the pin 20 and also serves to maintain the pin and the spinner body in assembled relationship.

In addition to the foregoing, the body 30 is provided with one or more rib-like projections or points 33 about its periphery.

In practice, the points 33 can vary widely in form or design without departing from the spirit of this invention.

The spinner further includes an annular series of ferrous masses 35 arranged in circumferential spaced relationship on the lower or bottom surface 36 of the body 30-, inward of the skirt 32 and opposing the top surface 10 of the board B.

In the preferred carrying out of the invention and as illustrated throughout the drawings, the several masses 35 are defined by enlargements or radial projections on a unltary sheet metal disc 37 (see FIGS. 3 to 6) or an annular ring 37 (see FIG. 7), established by suitable punching or stamping operations.

The size, shape and dispositioning (radially and circumferentially) of the masses can be varied to control the operation of the spinner, as will hereinafter be described.

The masses 35 are arranged in fixed position and are carried by the body 30.

The spinner that I provide further includes a magnet M carried by the board B, to occur below the body 30' and below the annular series of masses 35, in close proximity thereto, whereby said masses move through the field of the magnet when the body 30 is spun and so that the magnet attracts and holds one of the masses 35, when the spinner comes to rest and stops. In practice, the magnet M can be arranged and fixed in or to the board B in any desired manner. That is, the magnet can be fixed to the top surface 10 of the board, as by means of a suitable cement, in which case it would project upwardly therefrom; it can be partially engaged and seated in a suitable depression in the top surface 10 of the board B, or it can, as illustrated in FIG. 3 of the drawings, be engaged wholly within a recess 40 in the board and obscured from sight by a top or surface lamination 10' going to make up the board, and on which pertinent subject matter is printed.

In practice the magnet M can be any one of several shapes and can be arranged in any one of several positions relative to the masses, to control the effect and operation of the spinner.

Finally, the spinner includes an annular scale or rule 50, printed or otherwise applied to the top surface 10 of the board B, concentric with the pin and visible about the outer periphery of the spinner body 30, as clearly illustrated throughout the drawings.

The scale or rule is divided into appropriate and desired, circumferentially spaced zones 51, each of which is given a particular number, value or status and is such as to indicate or direct a move or position that must be made or taken by one of the pieces 12, when the game is being played.

I have, in the drawings, labeled certain of the zones 51 of the rule 50 to indicate certain moves or plays common in the game of baseball. Since the types of games that can be played, and the number of different zones 51 that are provided, can be varied widely without departing from the spin't of this invention, I will not burden the drawings with further illustration or the specification with detailed description of any one particular game, but rather, will leave it to those who establish and produce the structure that I provide to determine the Specific type of game that is to be played and the number of zones that are to be provided, and the respective values.

In the form of the invention illustrated in FIG. 3 of the drawings, the masses 35 are established by a plurality of circumferentially spaced radially outwardly projecting and outwardly converging projections on a simple fiat sheet-iron disc or body 37. The body or disc 37 is cemented to the bottom surface 36 of the body 30 and has a central opening 55 concentric with the bearing cone 31 and through which the pin 20 freely projects.

The disc 37 is shown as having eight projections or masses 35 of uniform configuration and of uniform circumferential and radial extent.

The magnet M in the form of the invention now under consideration is a simple, flat, disc-shaped magnet having its poles in vertical spaced relationship and arranged in the board B to occur below the circumferential path of the outer or tip portions of the masses 35.

With this relationship of parts it will be apparent that when the spinner body is rotated, the masses are moved through the field of the magnet M. The magnet acts as a magnetic brake and thereby tends to slow and eventually stop rotation of the spinner body. When the spinner comes to rest, the tip of one of the masses 35 is held, centrally, in the field of the magnet M and the body 30 is stopped in one of eight predetermined rotative positions with its pointer 33 directed to one of the zones 51 of the rule 50 intermediate the circumferential limits thereof.

It is to be understood that the number of masses can be increased or decreased as circumstances require or as desired.

In the form of the invention shown in FIG. 4 of the drawings, the masses 35' and disc 37' on or by which they are established, are the same as shown in FIG. 3.

The magnet M in this second form of the invention is an elongate bar-type magnet arranged in the board with its longitudinal axis extending substantially tangential with the path of the tips of the masses 35' and so that its north and south poles are in circumferential spaced relationship below the several masses. The magnet M corresponds in length to one-half the distance between adjacent masses.

It will be apparent that in practice, the magnet can be of other suitable lengths and such that when one end occurs below the tip of one mass, its other end occurs intermediate the tips of two other adjacent masses.

With this relationship of parts, it will be apparent that the structure functions in much the same way as the first form of the invention. However, the spinner body will come to rest with the tip of one of the masses 35 at one or the other of the poles of the magnet M.

Accordingly, in this second form of the invention the number of predetermined positions at which the spinner will come to rest is two times the number of masses provided, or, in the case illustrated, 16 positions.

The rule 50 in this second form of the invention is thereby provided with 16, or twice as many zones 51' as the rule 50 in the first form of the invention.

In the form of the invention illustrated in FIG. 5 of the drawings, the rule 50" is divided into 16 zones in two concentric circles, each having eight zones, and the magnet M" is similar to the magnet employed in the first form of the invention, that is, the magnet has one effective pole.

The number, arrangement and configuration of the ferrous masses in this third form of the invention is different from the number, arrangement and configuration of the masses in the two preceding forms. In the third form of the invention, there are eight major or primary masses 35", similar to the masses in the two preceding forms, and eight intermediate or secondary masses 35 which are slightly less in radial extent than the primary masses 35".

With this relationship of parts, it will be apparent that there is a predetermined possibility or odds that one of the secondary masses 35 will come to rest in the field of the magnet, but that there is a greater possibility, or greater odds, that the spinner will come to rest with a primary mass 35 in the field of the magnet M", when the construction is operated.

Accordingly, in this third form of the invention, there are 16 possible positions, that, is 8 major positions and 8 minor positions.

The odds of the structure coming to rest at a major or minor position can be advantageously governed and controlled by the relative size and arrangement of the major and minor masses.

In the fourth form of the invention, illustrated in FIG. 6, the same arrangement of ferrous masses as is provided in the last or third form of the invention is provided. The rule 50 is provided with 32 zones 51 instead of 16 zones, as in the preceding form of the invention.

The magnet M in this fourth form of the invention is a horseshoe magnet arranged with its north and south poles in circumferential spaced relationship below the path of the tips of the major and minor masses 35 and 35. The distance between the north and south poles of the magnet M is equal to the distance between the points of four adjacent major and minor masses.

With this relationship of parts it will be apparent that the compound effect afforded by the second form of the invention and the odds effect afforded by the third form of the invention are combined, and that there are 16 predetermined major positions and 16 predetermined minor positions at which the structure may come to rest.

In the form of the invention illustrated in FIG. 7 of the drawings, the masses 35 are radially inwardly projecting bar-like projections on an annular carrier ring or body 37 fixed to the underside of the spinner body 30.

The magnet M in this form of the invention is shown as a simple, radially disposed, bar magnet with one pole or end occurring below the path of the inner end portions of the masses 35 The several masses 35 are varied in radial and circumferential extent. As a result of the above relationship of parts, the masses present different values, each of which has a different effect with respect to the magnet M The major and minor masses are preferably arranged in sequential order with respect to their magnitude and the minor masses are preferably greater in circumferential extent than the major masses. With this relationship of parts there is less interference between adjacent masses of like size and character and the ability of the minor masses to be stopped above and held by the magnet is enhanced by the greater circumferential extent of the said minor masses.

It will be apparent that the magnet M in this fifth form of my invention could be arranged substantially tangential with the path of the ends of the masses 35*, as in the second form of the invention, or be substituted by the horeshoe-type magnet, as shown in FIG. 6, in which case the number of possible positions could be doubled.

It will be apparent that in this last form of my invention, the masses 35 could be of equal radial extent and be varied in circumferential extent, or vice versa, without departing from the spirit of my invention.

It will be apparent that, if practical or desired, a horseshoe-type magnet in the form of a split ring and arranged about and concentric with the pin 20 below the ferrous masses could be employed in place of the bar-type or horseshoe-type magnets illustrated and described above.

It will be further apparent that instead of controlling the operation of the spinner by radial and/or circumferential positioning of the ferrous masses, the masses could be arranged in varying vertical or axial spaced relationship to accomplish the same result and without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In practice, as illustrated in FIG. 5, secondary pointers 33" arranged to stop on the lines of joinder 53 between adjacent zones 51" of the rule 50" can be provided. In such a case, the secondary outer rule 50 with zones 51 circumferentially offset from zones 50" and joined with the lines 53 can be provided to afford other and special effects.

Having described only typical preferred forms and applications of my invention, I do not wish to be limited to the specific details herein set forth, but wish to reserve to myself any variations and modifications that may appear to those skilled in the art and fall within the scope of the following claims.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A spinner of the character referred to including, a fiat, horizontally disposed board, an elongate, vertically disposed pivot pin projecting upwardly from the board, an annular pattern of zones on the board in circumferential spaced relationship about the pin, a spinner body rotatably carried by the pin to overlie the board radially inward of the pattern of zones and having a pointer to point to one of said Zones, an annular pattern of circumferentially spaced ferrous masses on the body concentric with the pin and a magnet carried by the board arranged with its magnetic field intersecting the path through which the ferrous masses travel when the body is rotated on the pin, whereby the magnet attracts and holds one of said masses when the body comes to rest and so that the pointer thereon points to one of said Zones, said board having a vertically disposed, upwardly opening socket, said pin having a lower cylindrical portion slidably engaged in said socket and a radially disposed stop flange to engage the board and to limit engagement of the pin in said socket, said body having a downwardly opening bearing cone to receive the upper portion of the pin, the upper portion of the pin having a radially outwardly opening groove, and a retaining clip fixed to the cone and engaged in said groove to prevent displacement of the pin from the cone.

2. A structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein said ferrous masses are of varying cirmumferential extent whereby the mass varies and the effect of the magnet on predetermined masses is controlled to control the odds as to the rotative position at which the body will come to rest.

3. A structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein the radial placement of the several circumferentially spaced ferrous masses is varied whereby the strength of attraction between the masses and the magnet is varied, whereby the odds as to the rotative position at which the body will come to rest is controlled.

4. A structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein the loci of travel of the several ferrous masses is spaced different distances from the magnet whereby the magnetic attraction between the magnet and the masses is varied whereby the odds as to which of said masses will be stopped and held by the magnet and the resulting rotative position in which the body will stop is controlled.

5. A structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein the circumferential extent and radial placement of said masses of said pattern of masses is varied in a predetermined manner and said magnet poles are arranged in a predetermined relationship to said pattern of masses whereby the affect of the magnetic field on the said masses is varied in a predetermined manner as said masses move therethrough, whereby the odds as to the rotative position at which said body will come to rest and be held by the magnet is controlled.

6. A spinner including a fiat, horizontal board, a vertical pivot pin projecting upwardly from the board, an annular .pattern of zones on the board in circumferential spaced relationship about the pin, a spinner body rotatably carried by the pin to overlie the board radially inward of said pattern of zones and having a pointer to point to one of said zones on the board, an annular pattern of circumferentially spaced ferrous masses on the 1 one pole, the other pole occurs intermediate a circumferentially spaced pair of adjacent masses, whereby one or the other of said poles of the magnet attracts and holds one of said masses when the body comes to rest and so that the pointer thereon points to one of said zones on the board.

7. A structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein said board has a vertically disposed, upwardly opening socket, said pin has a lower cylindrical portion slidably engaged in said socket and a radially disposed stop flange to engage the board and to limit engagement of the pin in said socket, said body having a downwardly opening bearing cone to receive the upper portion of the pin, the upper portion of the pin having a radially outwardly opening groove, and a retaining clip fixed to the cone and engaged in said groove to prevent displacement of the pin from the cone.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,788,976 4/1957 Bascle 273141 FOREIGN PATENTS 194,020 3/ 1923 Great Britain. 391,500 5/ 1933 Great Britain. 571,666 9/ 1945 Great Britain. 923,823 4/ 1963 Great Britain. 261,994 9/ 1949 Switzerland.

ANTON O. OECHSLE, Primary Examiner .A. W. KRAMER, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 27393 

